Across Two Lifetimes

: A

or you again." Kael looked down at the bread in his hand, then at me

preparing breakfast." I stared at him. He s

husband. Surely I deserve a little extra food." "You de

the kitchen." "That was one tim

ot sitting over the fire. I tried to look an

hing to tease me about, I would threaten to stop doing somethi

e still found new ways to irritate me. I wasn't s

when I noticed he was still watching me. "I'm admi

The woman I married. I was beginning to thi

m. "Go." Kael raised both hands in surrender, l

and we had no servants to take care of the work. There were alwa

ndow, two stools that didn't quite match, and a ro

rainy season. He had made that promise three

ady. He placed the container beside the hearth and sat a

I narrowed my eyes. "Would you like m

that made it clear he thought I was being unfa

"I may have to leave early tomorrow

ers asked me to help settle a disagreement over a pie

th sides without throwing anyone into a river." "Is that what y

r his cup. "I shouldn't be gone long," he

before sunset." "After sunset." "Barely." "

ant it. He reached across the table and touched my

uldn't stop smiling. "Don't fla

h bowls toward the washing basin before I could t

n, careless with his belongings, and far too pleased

me feel that being his wife meant I had to agree with everything he said. I

waiting for me. "Are you coming to see me off, or are y

u married me." "My greatest achievement." "Your gr

y. A few villagers passed along the narrow road, ca

ried to persuade him to keep walking. Kael stopped besi

e first time." "Then why do you look as though you're

pressed a brief kiss to my forehead. It was a small

s he walked away. He turned once a

ed. "I won't!" "You said that t

disappeared around the bend. I stood there

, and a loose section of the roof that still n

ners with servants at our command. We were simply two people w

re mornings filled with arguments over bread, more evenings spent listening to Kael co

son to belie

sitting near the window, repairing a tear in one

man who lived two houses away, standing outside with

fore stepping closer. "Merchants came through the village this mo

They weren't sure. Some believe the

had never been particularly friendly, but neither

ightened her grip on the basket. "My husband says w

should know. Kael spends time with the king's

y. "Thank you

, looking down the road Kael had taken tha

nts had misunderstood what they had seen.

re there might be none. I returned to my sewing, but I found

tried not to think about the rumours. He

waited a little longer. When the light outsid

against the floor. The door opened, and K

e. "I know." "Did you settle the disagreement

nt only to discover that one man was right?" "People don't alw

sion stopped me. He looked tired. Not the ordinar

ere that morning. "What happened?" I asked. Kael se

stool. "Some of the king's men have been sent north. There are

he merchants." "Then the rumours are spreading faster than

more than anything else. Kael reached for my hand. "Do

" He was quiet for a moment. Then he squeezed my

gether. He told me about the farmer who had nearly thrown a shovel at

, as we prepared for bed, I asked him one more question

me to defend our land, I will go." I looked down at my

to," he said. "But if our people are in danger

ow," I whispered. He kissed my forehead and drew me i

thing. Outside, the village slowly settled into silence. I close

hange the course of our lives. And I didn't know that the man holding me t